Bahá'í Administration

Leadership and Governance of the Bahá’í Faith

The most distinctive feature of the worldwide Bahá’í community is its unity.  Because of the detailed provisions for interpretation, succession and leadership in the Writings of the Founder Himself, the faith has resisted division into factions or sects, a development that is unique in religious history. In addition to establishing a covenant of succession, Bahá’u’lláh provided the framework for a world religious community that has no clergy or priesthood, but is administered by democratically elected institutions on the local, national and international levels.

Before his passing, Bahá’u’lláh wrote a will and testament and appointed his eldest son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1844-1921) as the leader of the Bahá’í Faith. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had shared  Bahá’u’lláh’s imprisonment from the age of nine. He had become his father’s most faithful servant and defender and was designated by Bahá'u'lláh as the perfect Exemplar of the teachings of His Faith. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s writings are viewed as an authoritative source of Bahá’í teachings.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in turn, appointed his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi (1896-1957), to be the “Guardian of the Faith” and his successor.  Shoghi Effendi was a student at Oxford studying to become a translator of the Bahá’í teachings into English when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  passed in 1921. Shoghi Effendi led the Bahá’í Faith from that year until his death in 1957.  His extensive writings are authoritative interpretations and application of the sacred texts.

With the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the line of hereditary leaders of the Bahá’í Faith ended.  In 1963, following the written instructions of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi, an international convention was held at the Bahá’í World Center in Haifa, Israel, to elect the first Universal House of Justice.

Administration

Elected every five years by the members of the national Bahá’í administrative bodies of each country, the Universal House of Justice directs the spiritual and administrative affairs of the worldwide Bahá’í community.  Endowed by Bahá’u’lláh with the authority to legislate matters not mentioned in the Bahá’í scriptures, the Universal House of Justice is the institution that keeps the Bahá’í community unified and flexible, able to respond to the needs and conditions of an ever-changing world.

On local and national levels, nine-member bodies called National or Local Spiritual Assemblies are elected annually to administer the community’s affairs.  These bodies operate through a process of consultation in which the purpose is to seek truth rather than prevail with one’s ideas. No individual member has power or authority.

The Greater Columbia Bahá'í Community Website
Richland and Lexington Counties, SC